Strawberry plant named ‘NB-1’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct winter-planted short-day-type cultivar of strawberry, known as ‘NB-l’, is adapted to the growing areas of the southern coast of California. The plant produces early, large, smooth, and uniformity-shaped fruit. Plant materal can be planted early with minimum chill. Plants are moderately more vigorous that comparative variety plants.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new variety of strawberry plant was selected as a seedling from acontrolled breeding plot in Vista, Calif. in or about April 1998. Theseedling was selected from among plants germinated from open-pollinatedseed gathered from Fragaria×ananassa Duchesne ‘Pajaro’ plants, alsoknown as ‘Pajaro’ strawberry. Because the seed was open-pollinated, theother parent variety is not known.

The selected seedlings was grown and asexually propagated from stolonsat a nursery near sea level in Bonsall, in San Diego county inCalifornia. Further generations of plants were propagated from stolonsat a high elevation nursery in Mcdoel, Calif., and extensively tested.

This propagation and testing has confirmed that the new variety has adesirable combination of traits, which remain true to type throughsuccessive generations of asexual propagation. Propagation by use ofboth stolons and micro-tissue culture the been successful, though othermeans of asexual propagation might be used as well.

The parent variety, ‘Pajaro’, is described in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,538.‘Pajaro’ has been grown on the northern coast of California in a systemwhereby plants were propagated and held in cold storage until beingplanted out in summer. The new variety, in contrast, was selected forfall planting and winter fruiting. Compared to ‘Pajaro’, the new varietyrequires fewer hours of chilling and produces fruit earlier in theseason. The new variety produces conical fruit with a meaning mass of24.2 grams; ‘Pajaro’ produces wedge-shaped fruit with a typical mass of22.2 grams. The average total yield per plant of the new variety is 1376grams of fruit per plant; a typical yield for ‘Pajaro’ is 1127 grams.‘Pajaro’ and the new variety of strawberry were not directly compared inside-by-side testing because ‘Pajaro’ does not thrive in coastalsouthern California, the environment for which the new variety wasselected, and does not set fruit at the same season as the new variety.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety ofstrawberry plant, Fragaria×ananassa Duchesne ‘NB-1’. The new variety isdistinguished from older varieties by a combination of traits, includingvigorous growth habit; low chill requirement; ability in winter toflower and set fruit; large conical fruit; good taste, texture, andcolor of the fruit; and good cold storage qualities of the fruit. Thenew variety is well adapted for commercial use in coastal southernCalifornia.

COMPARISON TO CLOSEST VARIETY

The new variety is believed to be similar in characteristics to‘Camarosa’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,708, filed Apr. 1, 1993). ‘Camarosa’also can be grown in coastal southern California. Therefore, the newvariety was tested against ‘Camarosa’ to determine if the new varietywas distinct from ‘Camarosa’.

1. The plant of the new variety is more vigorous with a higher number ofadventitious crowns.

2. Fruit is larger and remains larger for a longer period through theharvest.

3. Fruit is conic in shape, as distinct from the wedge-shaped fruit of‘Camarosa’. The conical shape is relatively consistent throught theharvest period.

4. The taste and texture of the fruit after 7 days in cold storage issuperior. A taste panel of 10 persons preferred ‘NB -1’ to ‘Camarosa’ 7to 3 in a blind test when asked to compare overall palatability offruits stored at 40 degrees Fahrenheit for 7 days in a commercialcooling facility after pre-cooling. Brilliant color of ‘NB1’ fruit isretained better in cold storage than that of ‘Camarosa’.

5. The new variety is less susceptible to powdery mildew and interiorcrown rot.

6. Calyxes are larger and darker green those of ‘Camarosa’. They tend tobe flush with the outline of the fruit or slightly indented. Those of‘Camarosa’ are often “necked”, or bulging from the outline of the fruit.

7. Fruit of ‘NB-1’ is softer than that of ‘Camarosa’. Tasters preferredthe softer texture of ‘NB-1’ as “peach-like” as compared to “apple-like”firmness of ‘Camarosa’ fruit. Tasters rated the texture of ‘NB-1’ asmore desirable in a dessert than that of ‘Camarosa’.

8. ‘NB-1’ plants require less irrigation during fruiting season than‘Camarosa’ plants.

TABLE 1 Characteristic NB-1 Camarosa leaf color dark green medium greenMunsell color 7.5GY 4/4 5GY 4/3 fruit size and shape main season large,conic large, wedge/conic early season large, conic large, “torpedo”fruit exterior color glossy red glossy dark red Munsell color 5R 3/107.5R 4/11 fruit interior color slightly white even dark red Munsellcolor 5R 6/10 7.5R 5/13 inflorescence very long, erect long, semi-erectfruit aroma moderate low calyx position even to indented even to necked

The new variety was grown side-by-side with ‘Camarosa’ in open fieldtrials during the 1999-2000 growing season in Vista, Calif. The testplot is near sea level, on the coast of southern California.

Comparisons of the two varieties are based on the means of severalobservations. Field appearance ratings of the plants and fruits arebased upon 7 positive observations of ‘NB-1’ to 5 positive observationsof ‘Camarosa’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIONS

The accompanying photographs show typical specimens of the new variety.FIGS. 1 and 2 were taken in the field under natural sunlight; FIGS. 3through 9 were taken in a greenhouse under natural sunlight. All are incolor as nearly true as was so reasonably possible.

FIG. 1 represents the plant of the new variety at 174 days of age, withinflorescences and fruit in about the middle of the harvest season.

FIG. 2 represents the plant at 109 days age and fruit in early harvestseason.

FIG. 3 represents a closer view of foliage of the new variety on a plantof 174 days of age.

FIG. 4 represents the erect inflorescence of the plant of 174 days ofage.

FIG. 5 represents a typical fruit, cut open to show the interior, takenfrom a plant 174 days of age.

FIG. 6 represents a closer view of a single leaf of the new variety on aplant 174 days of age.

FIG. 7 represents lower surface to a leaf of a plant 185 days of age.

FIG. 8 represents the upper surface of a leaf of a plant 185 days ofage.

FIG. 9 represents two flower stalks of the late harvest period, showingdouble budding on a pedicel, from a plant 185 days of age.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The detailed description of the new variety is based upon observationsmade during production trials in open field conditions in Vista, Calif.during the 1999-2000 production season. Color, yield, size of plantparts, and other characteristics can vary, due to variation in theconditions of culture and environment.

Colors are designated both in standard terminology and in Munsell colorclassification notation. Munsell color classifications were done indoorsunder standard fluorescent lighting.

The following observations of the new variety were made on May 11, 2000of plants 232 days old, planted out Sep. 23, 1999 in Vista, Calif.

Plant: The plants are erect and dense, globose in shape. Plants aregenerally 30 to 40 cm in diameter at time of harvest and average heightof plants was 31 cm.

Root initiation: Primary adventitious roots arise from transplantedcrowns in approximately 10 days with proper cultural care. Secondaryroots arise within 5 days after transplanting. Secondary roots survivefor a short period and are continually replaced during the growingseason. The majority of root development is within the first 100 daysafter transplanting.

Stolons: Stolons from high elevation increase plots (Mcdoel Calif.)yield an average of 32 plants per mother plant. Low elevation increaseplots (Oceanside, Calif.) yielded an average of 48 plants per motherplant. Stolons are very thick, with an average diameter of 0.6 cm.Midseason stolons are medium green in color, equivalent to Munsell 5 GY6/10. On October 1, stolons were senescent and generally dark green tored in color. Pubesence is sparse and parallel to stolon.

Leaf: The average shape of the leaf is ovate trifoliate, with an averageof 17 deep serrations per leaf. Mature leaves have very slightblistering near the main rib vein. The upper surface of the leaf is darkgreen, equivalent to Munsell 7.5GY 4/4; lower leaf color is 7.5 GF 8/4.The terminal leaflet has a mean length of 6.5 cm and a mean width of 6.2cm. Average leaf dimensions are 8.8 cm by 8.1 cm. Lower leaf pubescenceis moderately dense, 0.1 cm in length, and lies generally parallel tothe leaf surface, pointing generally toward the petiole.

Petiole: The petiole is medium green, equivalent to Munsell 5GY 4/3. Thepetiole has a mean width of 3.25 cm and mean length of 17 cm. Pubescenceis sparse to moderate on the main petiole, perpendicular, and 0.1 cm inlength. At the trifoliate axis pubescence is very dense and downy.

Petiolule: Average length is 1.1 cm and average diameter at the widestpart is 0.5 cm. Color is 5 GY7/6.

Leaf arrangement: The base angle of the terminal leaf blades is erect.Mature leaves are mostly flat, with an occasional concave leaf. Oldersenescent leaves tend to be convex. Bract leaflet position is erect.Bract leaflets commonly occur singly. Bract leaflet is elliptic in shapeand parallel to the stolon.

Flower bud: Average dimensions just before opening are 1.2 cm diameterand length from base of bud to tip of sepal is 2.3 cm. Color is 7.5 GY7/8. Pubescence is thick, downy, and perpendicular to bud.

Bloom: The inflorescence is very long, averaging 22 cm in length and isheld erect at or above the leaves. The flowers are large, averaging 1.1cm in diameter. There are six petals per flower. Average petal dimensionis are 1.2 cm by 1.4 cm. Flowers are white. There is typically oneflower per pedicel, but two flowers per pedicel may occur late in theharvest period. At mid-season, about 6 months after transplanting,inflorescence is typically 12 to 14 stalks per plant.

Sepals: 12 sepals per mature fruit. Average dimensions are 21. cm by 0.8cm, with a lanceolate shape. Top of sepal is green equivalent to Munsell7.5 GY 4/6; bottom is 7.5 GY 6/6. Calyx mean diameter is 6 cm.Attachment is flat to slightly indented.

Fruit: The fruit has a smooth exterior surface, glossy red in color(Munsell 5R 3/10). Internally, the fruit has some slightly white flesh,Munsell 5R 6/10. Achenes are red to light brown. They are mostly even,to indented. Fruit is large and conic in shape. Size remains nearlyconstant for a longer period than other varieties. The shape is veryuniform and remains so throughout the harvest. Average mass of the fruitis 24.2 grams. Average dimensions are 6.7 cm by 5.4 cm. Fruit has amoderate aroma at room temperature. The fruit is slightly acidic. Thetaste is sweeter than that of ‘Camarosa’. On a scale of 1-10, with 10being very sweet, ‘NB-1’ as rated at 7 and ‘Camarosa’ at 4. Fruit isfirm to the touch. After 7 days cold storage, fruit is slightly lessfirm; much less firm after warming to room temperature. On an scale of 1to 10, with 10 being very firm, ‘NB-1’ rated at 4 after 7 days coldstorage and return to room temperature. Fruit color remains brilliantafter cold storage.

Yield: Average marketable harvest is 1376. grams per plant.

Culture: ‘NB-1’ is adapted to growing in open fields near the coast ofsouthern California. It can be planted out in winter, has low chillingrequirement, and sets fruit in short-day conditions. Plants are vigorousand relatively resistant to powdery mildew and interior crown rot.Requires less water during fruiting period than comparable varieties.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of strawberry plant,substantially as described and depicted herein.